1910 World Figure Skating Medal: History and Provenance.

Last Updated on February 27, 2026 by Netropolitan Museum

When medals reflected more than victory—echoes of an era on ice

Rich in design and history, the 1910 World Figure Skating Championships medal shown in today’s gallery commemorates a defining moment in the partnership of Ludowika Eilers and Walter Jakobsson. The commemorative piece is one of two presented to the pair for their second-place finish in pairs at the 1910 World Championships in Berlin, Germany. Eilers represented her homeland, Germany, while Jakobsson skated for his homeland, Finland. The pair later married and went on to represent Finland together, becoming Olympic champions in 1920, Olympic silver medalists in 1924, and three-time World Champions (1911, 1914, and 1923). The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins is honored to hold in its permanent collection both examples of the 1910 World Championships medals presented to the Jakobssons.

Medal Gallery: 1910 World Figure Skating Championships

The face of the medal features a detailed depiction of the Berliner Schlittschuh Club emblem at its center, encircled by laurel leaves. The club’s familiar shield—featuring the city of Berlin’s coat of arms—is surrounded by the club’s name. Below the central design, an early 20th-century skate blade completes the composition. Made of a silver-color base metal in relief, the medal has developed a soft patina over the more than 115 years since it was awarded, lending it a distinct sense of authenticity and historical presence.

The reverse of the medal is engraved in German: “Internat. Senioren Kunstlaufen, 2. Preis” (“International Senior Figure Skating, 2nd Prize”). A wreath of stylized laurel leaves encircles the engraving, differing subtly from the front design and reflecting early 1900s aesthetic trends.

In 1910, the same year this medal was awarded, German skater Werner Rittberger made his mark on figure skating history by inventing the loop jump, a move that remains a fundamental element of modern competitive skating. This innovation highlights how the sport was evolving technically even as it was gaining international recognition. One can imagine that Rittberger would be astonished to see today’s skaters performing quadruple loop jumps, no doubt marveling at how his original creation has progressed over more than a century.

At the time of the 1910 World Championships, Berlin was a vibrant center of sport and culture, where outdoor skating rinks were illuminated by gaslight and music echoed across frozen ponds. The Berliner Schlittschuh Club, founded in the 19th century, was among Europe’s most respected skating institutions and hosted some of the earliest formal competitions in figure skating. Medals such as this one likely would have been struck locally by artisans familiar with the city’s heraldic symbols and classical motifs, reflecting the pride of Berlin’s sporting community and the elegance of the era’s design sensibilities.

Several other medals and pins once belonging to the Jakobssons are also part of the Netropolitan collection, including artifacts from the 1928 European Championships, the 1932 World Championships, and the 1952 European Championships. The 1910 World Figure Skating Championships medal remains a striking example of early 20th-century design and a tangible link to the formative years of international figure skating.

This blog was originally published at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins on November 11, 2020, and has been updated with new and expanded information.

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